Victory
by The Crimson Wing
Summary: And now, seeing them together, Sakura realizes what she could have had. [LeeGaa]


**Authors Note-** Hey all… -Coughs, rubbing eyes- I'm alive really. Anyway, to anybody out there reading this waiting for Gone Wrong chapter six…. –Suspenseful moment-

**Some Audience Reader**- YOU BETTER NOT DISCONTINUE THAT STORY, YOU BETTER NOT!!!

. I don't know what you're talking about.

**Some Audience Reader #2**- … You are, aren't you…

NOPE! I just felt like saying that I pretty much hate how this chapter is turning out, but it's turning out. And it'll be bad because Authoress Crimmeh is bad at writing fight scenes. Oops, did I say that out loud?

**Some Audience Reader-** …Hey, stop ranting and write this so you can type other stuff!

…You know what, just for that I'm making you wait a week.

**Audience-** NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! JUST WRITE, PLEASE!

…Fine.

**Warning:** People see Sakura as a nice person. I DO NOT. Hints of Sakura bashing if you have half a brain and can read into what I'm thinking…which you probably can't. -Cough- Anyway, I'm sickly and I felt like making Sakura be all… ya know, dead and stuff. But she doesn't die, which makes me laugh because that was my original intention. Oh well, stuff happens.

**Disclaimer:** Sakura is not dead, therefore I own Naruto not. ;x

* * *

**Victory**

Sakura had always worried about others. Their health, physical condition, whether or not they were her rival for Sasuke, the works. How attractive they found she and her date was high upon the list.

This was why she rejected Rock Lee every single time he asked her on a date. Smashed his warm, loving heart over and over again until he got it through his obnoxious bowl cut that if anything he could only be a friend to her. After all she had a reputation to keep, friends to impress, she couldn't date a loudmouthed guy who wasn't Sasuke! And finally he left her alone.

For a while, she was glad. Ino's teasing tapered off and finally stopped all together. Lee no longer showed at her doorstep with flowers as if they were dating or something. Hell, they rarely even talked anymore. She could go on for a day and a half about the good things!

But after a while, Sakura began to see the ugly truth behind her actions. Ino no longer spoke to her at all, afraid of the same harsh treatment the poor boy had received. No one ever showed up at her doorstep with flowers. Hardly ANYONE spoke to her unless it was necessary. She did whine for a month about these things and more. Sasuke was a lost cause; he'd finally married Naruto. Her friendship with Ino was fragile at best.

What could the pinkette do? Where had she gone wrong?

Then, while out shopping in the market, Sakura had a revelation. She ran into Lee. The Green beast had since been dispatched to Sunagakure as a resident ally but had returned for the marriage of her sensei, Kakashi, and his Sensei, Gai. Lee had smiled at her in passing.

Who had been the first one to really see her as an object for affection anyway? Who had fought tooth and nail (however unsuccessfully) for just one date?

Rock Lee. She was sure he'd be thrilled when she approached him.

So, this dazzling thought in mind, she approached Tsunade with vacation time after the wedding. Efforts on the war with Orochimaru had dispersed after Jiraiya and Orochimaru had disappeared, so casualties were far less. Besides, if Sakura were exhausted and more arrived, she'd be useless!

Of course Sakura wasn't aware that Tsunade had been planning on forcing her into vacation if need be and that she didn't need excuses. Still, the Hokage extended the one week stay to two and shipped her off the very next day to Suna.

Even with previous visits under her wing, Sakura wasn't prepared for the heat wave. She checked into a hotel where she was immediately hit with a water restriction list, one her inner female loathed and her travel weary body rejected. But she'd been on Gaara's bad side before and didn't want to go there again if she could help it. Or if she couldn't help it, she'd like it to be on her OWN territory.

To her fortune it was expected to rain that night and a small festival was being prepared, just in case. Something to entertain her, what fun. If she had any good karma on her side she'd meet Lee and throw in her try at his heart.

Only, when she was out that day wandering around Suna she met a most peculiar sight. Well, peculiar to the uninformed pinkette anyway.

Across the street on the side walk sat Lee, grimacing as Gaara ate something that, even to Sakura's untrained-to-desert-foods eye, looked like tongue of some sort, maybe cow. But even as Lee was shying away from the food, something about him was soft and contented, all together different than the tension he radiated when in her presence. And also, it took her a moment to catch, the Kazekage was curled into Lee's side as one would a lover or dear friend, the Green Beast idly playing with the ruby locks at his disposal.

Kind of like Sasuke and Naruto…

Nothing to be alarmed about though, right? Sakura had to keep telling herself that as she wandered off to the hotel again.

Because there was no way the sweet, odd looking Lee would date the psychotic, attractive Kazekage.

That night it rained and Sakura came upon yet another revelation.

Her dress was a heavy fabric, dyed purple against her short pink locks and cut to the knee. She walked without umbrella, awaiting the rain, awaiting for good karma to show its color.

Only, her true nature bit her in the ass instead.

As the skies opened up their nourishing liquid she caught sight of just who she wanted to see, but now HOW she wanted to see him. Lee hoisted Gaara upwards and they spun around twice, his handsome face carved into a smile of bliss. Even Gaara wore a small smile. Then, they'd kissed. It was a soft and tender moment that utterly shattered Sakura's dream.

Staggering to the hotel, clutching at her broken heart, Sakura realized some things. Lee had always been handsome, she'd just been blind to his charm. Lee had always been sweet, she'd just shoved him away because of some childish love. Lee could have been hers but…

No, she'd let him go. Actually, she'd shoved him away before she'd ever had him. And that had been a mistake she would never forget.

* * *

Gaara never cared what others thought. He'd protect his people 'til death, maim for those he loved, yet could be logically merciful if the time called. Yet for some reason there was something that knew a way to worm into his sanctuary, crawl under his skin and get at the nagging emotion he kept tightly locked away.

Rock Lee.

Chunin exam preliminaries. The first one to mar him, batter him with bruise, slice open his cheek. He'd enjoyed crushing him outwardly in that twisted, psychotic part of his mind that always seemed foremost, but the truth was that the glee to such an action was short lived. Seeing that fiery will crushed had inwardly sparked a foreign pain within the young Kazekage.

After the battle with Kimimaro he'd begun to understand why.

And ever since, he'd watched the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha when possible. Watched his marvelous recovery and growth, watched him regain that passion, watched him strive for excellence. Excellence he all ready had in Gaara's opinion. This part he enjoyed, thrived on, dwelled in.

Most of all though, he watched the part that awakened old aggressions. He'd watched Lee be broken by that pink girl, over and over and over. He'd watched the real smiles turn fake and the training taper off. He'd watched a broken man cry. He'd watched Lee become smashed, shattered.

Not since his father had his hate for someone hit such a chord. Gaara watched until finally he could watch no more.

The first step had been inviting Lee to Suna as the resident ally, seeing as Gaara was Kazekage and couldn't always be present. He and Tsunade had long discussed the subject and, while she was reluctant to release one of her best shinobi, she finally complied. Gaara was pleased.

The second step wasn't all that hard. In fact, both seemed to be happy about it. They spent time together. Training, taking meals whenever possible, the works were all pulled out. Lee's smiles began to return to their true, bright nature, masking the aggressive being. A new sort of smile developed though. It was soft and real and happy, on only Gaara received, one that sent strange shock waves of warmth sprawling through the Kazekage.

It was a good sort of feeling. He asked his confidant, dear friend, and older brother about it later and Kankuro had only smiled.

Then, after about six months, Lee completed the third step, a step Gaara hadn't been able to piece together, one that he feared immeasurably yet had yearned for. It had happened late on a night with no moon, both sprawled on the balcony of Gaara's room, talking about nothing in particular. Well, Lee talking with Gaara occasionally throwing in a bit.

A pause had settled upon them. It was comfortable, serene, one two people who know each other very well can share. Then Lee spoke, voice slightly cracked. He admitted that Sakura had been only the dream of a boy striving for excellence and normalcy. She had been a dream acquired from the idea that she was unique and strong and something he could push himself for. He admitted to being wrong.

When you're Rock Lee, 'wrong' is a very hard part of the vocabulary.

Silence had settled again, Lee's expression thoughtful, Gaara looking to the Green Beast. If the red head allowed himself to analyze it he would admit that Lee was painfully attractive in all areas that counted and those that did not. Of course, analyzing that would mean acknowledging it and he didn't know how to do that at the time.

After a suspended moment onyx eyes had met aqua and Lee had said the one thing to set off a chain of events leading to the happiest days Gaara could ever recall.

I love you.

A year later found Gaara grinning evilly into Lee's broad chest, resisting the urge to gloat, an urge he didn't get all that often anymore. Rain drenched the people's forms as they celebrated the coming of water, desert's most precious resource. A cheer rose up from the crowd.

Lee smiled down at his beloved, a soft quirk of lips reserved for those he cared for and trusted most. "What has you in such a mood Gaara-kun?"

Aqua eyes rose, peering from behind water heavy red locks. The engagement ring on his finger was raised, examined for a moment, before Gaara turned his gaze to the retreating back of Sakura Haruno.

Bitch.

"Victory." Was his calm, single word reply before the Kazekage averted a smoldering, possessive look to his Lee that earned a throaty chuckle, one he smothered with his lips growling, "Only my victory."

-Owari-

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Writing Sakura's thoughts on Lee made me die inside as I love the Green Beast very much. Also… Why do people pull Kankuro off as an asshole? I mean, he IS a big JERK, he's sarcastic and proud, but he's only actually really truly MEAN when he's being protective of something.

If any of you bitch about how Kankuro is Gaara's 'confidant', go watch Shippuuden episode 5. It is the CUTEST SHIT EVER. It ranks right up there with GaaLee/KakaGai/SasoDei interactions. BROTHERLY LOVE! …I'm not into the sandcest though, sorry folks. -.-

Anyway, I'm done ranting now. Reviews will make sickly Authoress feel better. Thankee!

Oh, and one more thing Lunamaru (my best friend) and I are starting a new fad. IF you believe that NaruSasu and LeeGaa are meant to be, are behind the scenes, or ARE CANNON PAIRINGS DAMNIT, then put 'CANNON' in your review. Oh, or if you think KankuroXShikamaru ( 'Kank' just sounds funny, so I typed it out. Kanky is perfectly acceptable though…) is plausible. Cause it is. Damnit. CANNON, WHOO! If you've read this far, give yourself a hand and you get a COOKIE! Or maybe I'll write a story for you if you want... I'M DONE RANTING I SWEAR!


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